War's End
by probablyintenseskeletonhats
Summary: The war is over. Rated for language. I do not own The Outsiders.


Daryl Curtis Jr. woke in a panic. There was screaming outside, firecrackers, and what sounded like people banging pots and wooden spoons together. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to clear them of sleep. He threw back the covers to go get his youngest brother, when the door flew open and that very same brother landed on his bed, sobbing.

The almost-redhead wrapped his arms around Darry's neck and pulled him into the tightest hug Darry could have imagined from him. His body shook and Darry instinctively rubbed his neck and hugged him back.

"Pony -what…?" He asked, thoroughly confused. Pony pulled back and after wiping his tears, he gave Darry a huge smile. This was unexpected. Pony hadn't smiled much since Soda had been drafted, and Darry had to admit he had even been pretty depressed as of late.

However, Pony had stopped eating and sleeping. He found it hard to focus and hard to just live. No number of Two-Bit's jokes could help, or Johnny's comfort, or Dally's smart remarks. He had been extremely under the weather, to say the least.

"It's over…" Pony whispered. He gave Darry another watery smile.

"What? What's over?" It couldn't be… Why would it end so suddenly?

"The war, Darry. Soda's coming home," Pony replied quietly. Darry almost stood up right then and there and started whooping and screaming, but that would be very out of character for him.

Fuck it.

He grabbed Pony and swung him around, but his sleep-muddled brain caused both of them to crash to the floor. He placed a million little kisses all over his brother's face, and Pony giggled, and they were the happiest they had been in a long time.

Soda's most recent letter had talked a lot about how -in his specific division-things were getting worse. People were starting to think they would die here, he found people beating each other and it was all very terrifying. Darry was just reading it. Sodapop was living it. Darry could tell by the tone of the letter that Soda was beginning to think he would die there, too.

It broke his heart to think of his little brother dying in Vietnam (or at all), or even something like Soda beginning to think like that. That there was a possibility that he would die alone, without Steve by his side, and nobody would find his body.

For a while, Darry was beginning to think that, too. That Soda would die in Vietnam. He couldn't plan another funeral -not after mom and dad.

_"You have to make me a promise,"_ Darry had said. Soda had looked him in the eyes and nodded, however hesitantly. Darry could tell he had been nervous, who wouldn't be? This might be the last time he would ever see his brother again._"Okay. What is it?" _Darry wrapped his arms around Soda.

_"You have to promise you'll come back."_

That had been the first promise Soda hadn't made.

Darry, however unconciously, had wrapped his arms around Pony, now, and they sat on the floor and just hugged each other. Darry could still feel Pony's body trembling, and every now and then he let out a happy sob.

After a while, they stood and went out on the porch. There were children running around the streets, families banging pots and pans and wooden spoons together and shouting on their porches.

"The war is over!" They cried. _"They're coming home!" _Firecrackers and other small fireworks were being set off. Darry lit the porch lamp. It all seemed surreal. What could have happened to make it end so quickly?

Johnny, Two-Bit, and Dallas bounded up the sidewalk suddenly. They stood on the porch and had similar reactions. Two-Bit lifted the now very lightweight Ponyboy onto his shoulders and bounced him around, crowing, and Pony let him; even though he was wearing his pajamas and he was still crying.

Johnny and Dallas stood with him and watched the two, huge smiles on their faces.

Soon, Dally and Two-Bit went inside and found some cooking pots and spoons and joined the families in their pot-and-pan-band. Pony stayed behind and Darry pulled him to his side. Pony leant into him.

"What time is it?" Darry asked him.

"Somewhere around two, I think," came the soft reply. Pony fell asleep a few minutes later, and Darry didn't care that it was cold outside. He didn't care that they would all be tired in the morning. He didn't care.

Because right now, he was all too happy to care. And as of late, he hadn't been feeling to happy.

He looked down at Pony. The younger boy looked strangely peaceful for the first time in a while. He looked younger, and Darry rubbed his soft auburn hair.

He looked out across the street. Two-Bit was banging beer bottles together, and Johnny was sitting on Dally's shoulders. They were smiling, screaming and laughing. Johnny seemed a little out of his shell, which was always good to hear.

Dally had gotten hold of some firecrackers and were throwing them at some children down the street, Darry could tell he was intentionally missing.

Darry was at peace. Nothing could go wrong.

/AN

Hope you enjoyed! Very short, I know, but I had this idea and thought it was cool enough to share. Sorry I haven't updated lately, I'm getting back into the swing of school. In fact, I should be doing homework right now…

Review and thanks or reading!

Blaine

Probablyintenseskeletonhats


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